Links between Stress, Brain Injury, and Disease

June 07, 2022, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

A recent research article points to somethings that many of us have suspected for a long time. Stress and disease are related. This new research goes on to examine the links between stress, TBI and disease. The news is not great. Stress has negative impacts on brain regions through several pathways. Stress also has negative impacts on neuron plasticity which can lead to depression and anxiety in excessive levels. Stress impacts are particularly noted in children.

Stress is defined as the response to a combination of physiological, neuroendocrine and behavioural and emotional conditions and can be long or short term. It is a defensive mechanism which allows us to cope in times of crisis for example.

However, strong and long-lasting stresses can lead to psychological and pathological damage. PTSD is an example of a response to sever stress.
We now have a body of evidence that suggest patients who have previous underlying brain injuries or diseases show severe neurological dysfunction in response to severe, persistent events or stimuli. The stress has marked effect on the brain, in key regions, and on brain diseases. These reactions are complex and can impede recovery while making existing disease worse.

Acute and chronic stress can both have negative impacts on those with brain injury or disease. Research is being conducted into appropriate therapies for patients who experience sever and persistent stressful events.

For some people with brain injury or disease severe or chronic stress can result in neuropsychiatric diseases like depression and anxiety. It can also result in cognitive deficits.

Stress can damage different parts of the brain in real and harmful ways depending upon the nature of existing brain damage or disease, and on the nature of the stress – long term chronic stress or acute severe stress.

“The effect of stress on neuron plasticity is worth attention, as stress results in imbalance of …  neurons and can lead to anxiety and depression in adult and/or newborn rodents.

… The effects of stress on brain injuries or diseases are usually considered negative. Stress aggravates cognitive deficits and lesion volume caused by stroke, TBI, and AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) . The mechanisms through which stress affects brain diseases are very complex. “

Determining long term deficits is complex in victims of brain injury and this makes hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer even more important if you have been hurt in accident caused by someone else.  Contact us for your free initial consultation at 1.866.414.4878 today for more information on how we can help you. Don’t’ face your situation alone.
 

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.